Time-dependent quantum mechanical wave packet study of the He+H₂⁺(v,j)→HeH⁺+H reaction

Abstract

A detailed three-dimensional time-dependent quantum dynamical study of the He+H₂⁺(v=0-3,j=0)→HeH⁺+H reaction is reported for different vibrational v states of H₂⁺ in its ground rotational (j=0) state over a range of translational E_trans energies on an accurate ab initio potential energy surface published by Palmieri et al. Plots of reaction probability as a function of total energy E reveal a large number of oscillations indicating the presence of a number of reactive scattering resonances. When averaged over total angular momentum J, some of the oscillations survive, indicating that they may be amenable to experimental observation. A comparison of our present results with our earlier results on the McLaughlin-Thompson-Joseph-Sathyamurthy surface and the experimental results from different research groups reveal a good deal of agreement as well as some discrepancies between theory and experiment at the level of state-selected gas phase dynamics.